Electrical ground-connection clamp



July 15 1924.

1,501,636 c. VlTEK ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTION CLAMP Filed Aug. l1, 1921 INVENTOR Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,501,636 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES VITEK, OF HAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

BENJAMIN A. TETZLAFF, F GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.

ELECTRICAL GROUND-CONNECTION CLAMP.

Application filed August 11, '1921. Serial No. 491,632.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLns VITEK, a citizen of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, re-

sidn at Maywood, in-the county of Cook an and useful Improvement in Electrical Ground-Connection Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to electrical connections and more particularly to ground connections.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for securely and reliably establishing a ground connection for an electric conductor.

A further object aims at providing a clamp adapted to screw to a grounding element and having means for maintaining contact between the element and a cable shoe.

It still further constitutes the provision of a connection which canbe manufactured at small expense and which may be conveniently manipulated to establish the desired connection or disrupt the same.

With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as the description of the invention proceeds, the latter comprises a means particularly described in the specification and pointed out in the claims forming a part thereof, and illustrated in the drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of the electrical connection with the' grounding element shown in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a front view shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view.

The clamp comprises a flexible strip of metal which intermediate its ends isformed with a straight portion 11 and thence passes into legs 12, and 13 which are adapted to encompass a grounding element 14, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The-ends of the legs 12, 13 may be interconnected by a common slot connection, as appears at 15. Between the legs 12 and 13 a bridge member 16 is interposed, which is of arcuate shape to fit the arcs of the tubular grounding element 14 of various diameters. As shown, the brid e member 16 is formed with arms 17, 18 w ich are bent back to overlap the legs 12 and 13. A nut 19 engages with the under side of the straight portion 11 of the flexiblestrip and is secured against rotation by lugs 20 which extend through apertures proof the parts tate of Illinois, have invented a newvided in the flexible strip. The nut 19 is traversed by a screw 21 which at the lower end is formed with a circular head 22 received within a socket 23'provided on'the bridge 16. The upper end of the screw is formed with a central slot 24 for the insertion of a screw driver or similar implement 'for the rotation of the screw.

From the foregoing, it follows that upon rotation of the screw 24 in view of the fixed arrangement of the nut 19, a longitudinal movement is imparted to the screw and thereby to the bridge member 22 which causes the legs 12, 13 either to be spread or to be approached in accordance with the direction of rotation of the screw 21, whereby the member 14 is either released or engaged by frictional contact.

As indicated, a nut 25 is arranged at the upper end of the screw 21, and between the strai ht portion 11 of the strip and the nut 25, the apertured end of a cable shoe 26 is interposed so that a formal connection may be established for the cable shoe and the clamp.

It is obvious that the ground connection may be conveniently and rapidly established by tightening the clamp on the grounding member 14, whereupon the cable shoe may be secured nut 25.

The drawing discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention. Various changes of on the screw 21 by rotation of the construction and design may be resorted to,

ary nut interposed between said legs adjacent the integral portion, a screw coactin with said nut, a bridge coacting with sai screw for forcing the flexible legs firmly in engagement with said grounding element, arms supported by said bridge for preventing the spreading of the flexible leg portions and said bridge, a cable shoe and means for securing said cable shoe to said legs.

2. An electrical connection comprising a pair of flexible legs encompassing a ounding element, means for connecting t e free ends of said legs, an integral portion unittightening the legs around the ounding ing the other ends of said legs, a bridge beelement, a cable s 0e and means or clamp- 10 tween the grounding element and said inteing said cable shoe to the upper face of said gral portion, a stationary nut, means supintegral portion.

ported by said bridge for preventing spread- In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub-' ing of said legs, said bridge having a raised scribed my name this 2nd day of August, portion, a screw extending through said 1921. g

raised portion and said integral portion for CHARLES VITEK; 

